C'Nedra is trying to marry off Belderan, who runs away to get away from such an incomprehensible fate. Belderan's bodyguards are sen tot retrieve her. However, what happens when they realize Belderan ran away for a reason...full summery inside...

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of the Belgariad or the Malloreon. I do, however, own the OC's and what I have done to Belderan and Geran.

Plot: BelderanxOC. Post-Malloreon. C'Nedra is trying to marry off Belderan, who runs away to get away from such an incomprehensible fate. Belderan's bodyguards are sent to retrieve her. However, what will happen when it is revealed that Belderan ran away so that she could be alone with one of her bodyguards; but which one is it? Read more to find out…

Belderan sat on her bed, running a hand through her flaming curls. She sighs deeply, looking at her small mother who is pacing the room ranting to her about getting a good husband. Belderan had no intention of getting a husband so early in life. C'Nedra looks impatiently at her daughter.

"Are you even listening to me?" Belderan tells her that she is, just so that her mother wouldn't pay more attention to her than necessary. The door opens and a man walks into the room. The man appears to be either in his late forties or early fifties. He is wearing black leather garments and silver armour that creaks as he moves. His eyes are a deep, penetrating brown and his hair a steel grey that is tied into a thick ponytail at the back of his neck. As soon as he gets C'Nedra's attention, he bows deeply, his armour creaking. Belderan keeps her eyes on him, gnawing on her lip lightly.

"My Lady." He stands up straight, and looks towards Belderan. A small smile pulls at the corner of his mouth.

"Its time for you to come for your morning walk, My Lady." Belderan leaped up from her bed and ran towards him with a large smile on her face. She pulled on his hand and pulled him out of the room.

"Thank you for saving me in there, Cadmar." Cadmar smiled at her softly.

"You owe me." She giggles, and skips down the stone hallway, her dress bellowing ridiculously. Cadmar shakes his head at the young girl, calmly walking behind her. The two of them make their way out of the Citadel, and out towards the training grounds. Cadmar leans against a wooden post, fixing the straps on his armour, while Belderan climbs onto a fence and sits on it, watching some men practice-fight with each other. Unlike the young boys around the Citadel that practice, these men are using real weapons and a scary lack of armour. Belderan tucks her flaming ringlets behind her ears, leaning forwards in anticipation. The two men who were sparing go at each other with suck force that they knock each other onto their backs. Cadmar chortles at the two of them, and Belderan is approached by a young man. He is relatively short, with mid-length flaxen hair and bright blue eyes. He is in minimal armour, and he shifts his bow and quiver of arrows on his shoulder. Brushing his hair out of his eyes, he throws a shy smile at Belderan.

"'Morning, milady." Belderan nods her head in acknowledgement, giving him a warm smile.

"Good morning, Ezra." She looks back towards the fight in process, giggling softly. She catches Ezra giving her a quizzical expression.

"It looks like Remo and Haidar are going at it pretty nicely." Ezra chuckles.

"Yeah, but they'll end up killing each other. Neither one of them will give up!" The both of them laugh while Cadmar is approached by a mid-height man. The man has ebony hair that reaches his shoulders, with feather tied into a random braid here and there. He looks through a thin veil of his hair towards Cadmar, black eyes searching his leader's face. Reaching up, he scratches at one of his cheeks, finger tracing the tattoo of tribal bird wings along his cheekbone.

"Welcome back, Cadmar." Cadmar nods in reply, and the other man squats down close to the ground. He looks towards Belderan, "And good day to you, Lady Belderan."

"Good day to you, too, Uziel." The other two men wander over to them, laughing with each other despite the beatings they placed on each other only a few moments ago. One of them is close to five-seven, and all muscle. He is going shirtless, and tribal tattoos stretch all across his chest and down his arms. His head is shaven, and his deep-set eyes glow with determination.

The second man is only a few inches shorter, and not too much smaller in build. He is also shirtless, and has tattoos up his left arm and across half his chest and back. His brown hair lies in plated rows, pulled away from his face. Belderan nods her head to each of them, respectively.

"Remo, Haidar." Both of them nod as well, and they start a conversation with Cadmar about politics and militant strategy. Ezra looks towards Belderan once more.

"I've earned my tattoo, Belderan…" he whispers shyly. Belderan turns swiftly and catches him in a tight embrace. Ezra grows a deep scarlet, and he blinks a few times. Belderan lets go of him, jumping off of the fence.

"When? When are you getting your first tattoo?" He smiles softly and looks towards the ground, embarrassed.

"Tonight…" Belderan hugs him again, much to the embarrassment of Ezra, and the enjoyment of the rest of them.

"Then I'll see you tonight, Ezra."

Review, please! How do you like it so far? Please, constructive criticism welcome! No flames though, please. Cookie to all who review! (Not a bribe, an encouragement!)

~R

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.